March 10 is a seemingly unremarkable day, with no crazy historical events falling on it and no relevant celebrity’s birthday (unless you count Chuck Norris). But for a Nintendo fan, it marks the most iconic day of the year—National Mario Day. For a particular reason, Mario Day falls on March 10 due to the resemblance of the date to the word Mario: Mar.10, with the ‘1’ being the ‘I’ and the ‘0’ being the ‘O’. Mario Day celebrates not just the single character but the entire Mario franchise. So, if you’re like me and prefer to main Toad in Mario Kart, the day can still be celebrated.

While today may be the first time you hear of Mario Day, this niche holiday has been around for the past decade, with Nintendo gamers celebrating by playing their favorite Mario games the entire day. The students of NDCL decided to celebrate differently. Volunteers were given the iconic Mario and Luigi hats and mustaches and photographed throughout the special day. Only a few students and teachers escaped celebrating Mario’s day during lunch, class, and in the hallway. The school was transformed into a place where one could hardly turn a corner without running into a student with a mustache plastered to their lip.

Most students reacted similarly when encountering a Mario student: “Why are you wearing that?” And the word of Mario Day spread. So, when March 10 sneaks up on you in the future, remember that the day gives you a valid excuse to sit down, kick your feet up, and crack open that dusty Nintendo. In the comments below, let us know who your go-to Mario Kart character is!

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